Not doing as well as hoped

[Danielle0904]

Hi Geeks

I am currently renting a space in a salon (commission only luckily)

and I don't know if the number of clients done so far is good/fair or bad

in 12 weeks I have done 17 sets of gel polish & 3 removals

now I am relying on the owner to get me these bookings as I already been there done that trying to get clients to my home salon without success, hence renting the space as a last resort

After 12 weeks everyone should now know I am there so I am concerned this is it now, as good as its going to get

I know time of year isn't the best but even over xmas period I only did 8 clients

reason why I am asking is I could have the chance to go to a larger salon but would rather know I have given this a fair chance before abandoning it.

thanks x

 

[kimi1101]

You are self employed - you shouldn't be relying on anyone getting you clients but yourself.

Are you trying to rebook these clients?
Taking their contact details and sending them info on deals etc?

 

[Steph86]

12 weeks isn't a long time, but you have to do whats right for you. If there wasn't the option of somewhere else Id advise you to give it longer.

Whilst you are self employed, although it is in the owners interest to get you busy as you are working on commission, it is actually down to you to advertise & get your own clients.
You cant rely on the salons clientele only. This goes for both salons.

If I was to google your area & nail technician would your business come up? Have you leaflet dropped all of the houses near by? Have you given your clients your business cards?

Im mobile, & I can honestly say I probably didn't have 17 nail clients in the first 3 months. I also offer other services too though.

Have the clients returned? Or was they just wanting nails for an occasion?

Xx

 

[KHS]

I agree with Kimi I'm afraid, it's not down to the salon owner to find your clients. It's your self employed business - it's down to you

You need to get out there and promote yourself, get some flyers done and get posting them through letter boxes, clients won't come to you if they don't know you're there.

And re book the ones you do have ready - if you don't the few clients you do have will dwindle down to none

 

[Danielle0904]

yes I have done well with a couple of regulars, so they are loving it

and with respect if I could of got clients myself I would be working from my home salon which is what I started doing but struggled, no matter how many offers/leaflets/facebook etc etc so as a last resort I asked my educator , it was her suggestion to get the salon spot as there is more access to potential clients which made sense but I expected it to be busier by now

 

[Verve Designs]

If you're self-employed and totally reliant on a third party to gain you clients then, I'm sorry to say, it can never work as a business. It's a broken business model.

Why should they be as motivated as you to get you business?

What is it about being based in a salon that precludes you from trying to get your own business through the door?

I'll be absolutely brutal. If you're saying you've tried "everything" to get business then you're either doing it wrong, or your business isn't as attractive to people as it ought to be, or you think it is.

 

[hazeleyes]

yes I have done well with a couple of regulars, so they are loving it

and with respect if I could of got clients myself I would be working from my home salon which is what I started doing but struggled, no matter how many offers/leaflets/facebook etc etc so as a last resort I asked my educator , it was her suggestion to get the salon spot as there is more access to potential clients which made sense but I expected it to be busier by now

Do you have a website, FB page where maybe people can see your work? Have you leafleted? Is your work to a good enough quality? What are your prices like?

 

[Danielle0904]

I have just had some constructive feedback on another forum which pointed out some very valid points to me which I am hoping is the problem

its a one woman salon, so its only her clients that are targeted , most salons have several staff each with their own clients, so for example if there was 4 stylists, I could of had 68 clients not 17

also I approached her (she knows my mum) for a space, she didn't
necessarily need a tech, so I think she just wanted to give me a chance, so I don't think the demand is there

where as the salon which has approached me actually have clients asking for it so she has put an advert in a local wholesalers

 

[Danielle0904]

If you're self-employed and totally reliant on a third party to gain you clients then, I'm sorry to say, it can never work as a business. It's a broken business model.

Why should they be as motivated as you to get you business?

What is it about being based in a salon that precludes you from trying to get your own business through the door?

I'll be absolutely brutal. If you're saying you've tried "everything" to get business then you're either doing it wrong, or your business isn't as attractive to people as it ought to be, or you think it is.

as stated so many times on here if people cant be helpful why bother answering

I have worked harder than I ever have on anything and DONT expect anyone to work harder than me, so open your eyes and read the post properly

This is supposed to be an advice & support forum and I am convinced people just come on here to purely belittle people and try to make them feel bad about themselves as this reply shows no help, support or advice to my post

 

[hazeleyes]

It sounds like the other salon may be better for you then, however it's still hard slog wherever you go.

 

[Steph86]

There is access to clients, but you still have to promote, sell yourself etc. I cant tell you the hours I've spent advertising online, Im mobile so I don't have passing trade etc.

Do you have an A board outside the salon saying that you are there? A window display?

Can you tempt any of the salons clients with a taster session?

If you really don't want to advertise, maybe look for an employed position then you don't have to worry about finding clients. Unfortunately advertising is your own responsibility whilst you are self employed.

Xx

 

[TIPTOP]

as stated so many times on here if people cant be helpful why bother answering

I have worked harder than I ever have on anything and DONT expect anyone to work harder than me, so open your eyes and read the post properly

This is supposed to be an advice & support forum and I am convinced people just come on here to purely belittle people and try to make them feel bad about themselves as this reply shows no help, support or advice to my post

I see help and support within that post, I see no belittling, 12 weeks isn't long enough to base your decision on, it can take 18mnths plus to build a regular clientele and you also have to put the effort in, find your unique USP and make yourself attractive to potential clients and stand out from your competitors, being in a salon doesn't guarantee you success, commission or not you don't want to be working for nothing. Look at the bigger picture before jumping ship xx

 

[jacquelineanna]

as stated so many times on here if people cant be helpful why bother answering

I have worked harder than I ever have on anything and DONT expect anyone to work harder than me, so open your eyes and read the post properly

This is supposed to be an advice & support forum and I am convinced people just come on here to purely belittle people and try to make them feel bad about themselves as this reply shows no help, support or advice to my post

Whoa! What sort of answer is this to someone who has tried to help you?

If you don't like the possible hard truth of his response just thank him and discard the information.

There is a hard truth in everything he has said ... it's now up to you to be brutal with yourself. If you want to succeed you will listen to people who have been in the business long enough to know.

Or you can listen to those who suggest you are doing everything right and in less than six months you will be another failed business statistic.

Be smart my lovely .. open your EARS. :hug:

 

[kimi1101]

I was actually going to reply in my first post saying that you have the wrong attitude for this industry ESPECIALLY being self employed, but I thought that was harsh. You just proved what I thought.

I have self employed stylists and employed in my salon. My employed stylists and I have a SHARED responsibility to gain them more clients. Yes, I do advertising, pass them some of my clients etc, but if they don't do a good job, rebook clients or up sell, then what can I do?! I can't force someone to come to them. My self employed stylists benefit from my advertising for the salon and generally keeping the salon reputation high, but I don't do anything else to raise their clientele.

I believe that people buy people.......they will come to you if they like you and your work. But you can't sit and wait for someone else to get you clients. It doesn't work.

All the best in the future.

 

[Danielle0904]

Sorry just a bit like salt in a wound, a very sensitive spot

its a huge dream of mine and I have worked so hard with not much result

I am clearly doing something wrong, but am confident enough to say its not my work, as the handful I have had are regulars

 

[jacquelineanna]

Sorry just a bit like salt in a wound, a very sensitive spot

its a huge dream of mine and I have worked so hard with not much result

I am clearly doing something wrong, but am confident enough to say its not my work, as the handful I have had are regulars

Good girl :hug:

12 weeks is hardly any time at all in business ... if you are sure in your own abilities then your regular clients will start telling others about you. Someone else mentioned Facebook and a Website .. do you have these up and running? A website will certainly help new people find you!

Can you go down into the salon and talk to the hairdressing clients ... can you do the hairdresser's nails and feet s she can show them off?

Would you consider offering any other services - waxing and tanning for example?

Is it just gel polish you offer or are you an all round nail tek?

How many other salons are around you? Is there a lot of passing trade? Can you put posters in the shop window or an A-board outside?

Good luck xxxxxxx

 

[ch-ela]

Could you do both?

I'm not sure if you are working elsewhere too, but would it be manageable for you to say do 2 days in one salon and 3 in the other? Afterall, you are self employed so that shouldn't be a conflict of interests.

Also, do you know the terms of the new salon? You may be paying a fixed rent there rather than commission so that would cost you whether you have clients or not.

And by the way, congratulations for being "head hunted" after this short time. You have come a long way already. Don't forget that.

 

[Balance Andover]

Sorry just a bit like salt in a wound, a very sensitive spot

its a huge dream of mine and I have worked so hard with not much result

I am clearly doing something wrong, but am confident enough to say its not my work, as the handful I have had are regulars

I relocated to a new area three months ago and had to build my client base again from scratch and it's very hard!

You started at a salon at a time where most people already had their Xmas beauty appointments booked (people book weeks, sometimes months in advance) and January is a quiet month.

Have you got a price list? do you chat to all of the hair salon clients when they come in? have you offered complimentary hand and arm massages or file and polishes to them (perhaps when their colour is developing).

Do you rebook your clients or just allow them to call in to rebook?

Do you collect email addresses and email your customers regularly?

There is so much more you can do that perhaps you haven't thought of?

This thread started by Lynne Baker (a very successful therapist) give you some great ideas!

http://www.salongeek.com/biz-geek/83160-more-ways-promote-your-business.html

I've got a MS word template of a tri-fold leaflet for prices and information to hand out to customers that I'm more than happy to share with you, pm me your email address and I'll send it over.

Michelle x

 

[Kim Lawless]

We were all quiet when we first started so don't give up hope. I would suggest two things.

1. Get yourself in the frame of mind that you are self employed and that you should be responsible for getting new clients. Make sure that your website reflects that you're a true pro.

2. If clients are not rebooking, bite the bullet and ask your fellow geeks for a critique on your nails just to make sure that they are good enough.

Good luck.

 

[Verve Designs]

I'm really not sure what I've said that's so upsetting here? Was just trying to help

It's a business model that isn't working, I was suggesting you re-evaluate it.

Over 15 years I've run three successful businesses (one of which is a salon that we still own) and have closed down two because they weren't working. I'm not saying this to be a sm*rt arse, I'm trying to explain why I feel qualified to give advice, as in that process I took lots and lots of advice from people who'd been there and done it (for right and wrong).

I've also worked for about 3,000 nail techs as a designer, some of the most successful in the industry, so also know a thing or two about what other people are doing as well. I get daily feedback on what's working for people and what isn't working for people, I only ever comment on here about things I know I can contribute on i.e. design and marketing.

I'm really not sure I deserve to be spoken to like that really. Especially as I know Danielle!

You can have all the "dreams" and "passions" that you want. But unless you're brutal then you're deluding yourself.

To be honest, you're the one posting on a forum asking for advice- so clearly it's not entirely working is it? Support comes in many different forms, and tough-love is one of them! Clearly someone telling you that you're doing everything right isn't going to help is it? You've evidence to the contrary.

So, you need to analyse what it is you can improve (I've no idea as to the quality of your work I mean in terms of business), and take advice without taking it personally.

The first thing you need to do is take total control of your marketing. It will be the single most important thing you will do in making your business work. I don't see how working in the salon and doing your own marketing is mutually exclusive?

Have a word with the owner, split the costs of a leaflet campaign, your info on one side, hers on the other and spend an entire weekend leafleting.

Good luck with your business, I'm going to take a little break from here I think for a while

p.s. As for "opening my eyes" I think you misread what I said. I said why should they be more motivated than you for getting you clients. As in, what are they getting out of it? I was suggesting you ARE more motivated than them. I wasn't suggesting you don't work hard at all.